1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to an image recording method for a time shift function and an image recording apparatus thereof, and more particularly to an image recording method for a time shift function and an image recording apparatus thereof supporting the time shift function by employing a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) function, which can allocate tuners according to a set standard, and record images when a channel is changed.
2. Description of the Related Art
A PVR is a personal digital video recording apparatus that can record an image signal in a large-capacity hard disk and reproduce the image signal recorded in the hard disk. An image recording apparatus supporting a time shift function by employing the PVR function comprises a digital television (DTV), a set-top box, and a digital video disc (DVD) recording apparatus.
For example, a DTV supporting the time shift function displays a program of a channel B while it records a program received through a channel A. In this state, if a user intends to view the program of the channel A after a lapse of time, the DTV reproduces the program of the channel A from the recording time point of the channel A, and simultaneously records the program of the channel A in real time.
However, the related art DTV supporting the time shift function in an environment where the number of tuners is limited operates such that if a user inputs a channel change command to change the channel A to the channel B while the program of the channel A is outputted through a display, the DTV tunes a first tuner from the channel A to the channel B, tunes a second tuner to the channel A, and inquires of the user whether to record the program of the channel A.
More specifically, the related art DTV tunes the first tuner to the channel to be outputted through the display, and tunes the second tuner to the channel previous to the channel change, i.e., the channel to be recorded. Accordingly, if a channel change command is inputted while the channel A tuned by the first tuner is outputted through the display, the DTV tunes the first tuner from the channel A to the channel B, and tunes the second tuner to the channel A.
Accordingly, the first tuner tunes the changed channel and the second tuner tunes the channel having been tuned by the first tuner whenever the channel is changed, so that all the channels being tuned are changed. This causes the efficiency to deteriorate.
Also, whenever the channel is changed, the related art image recording apparatus inquires of a user whether to record the program of the channel previous to the channel change through an On-Screen Display (OSD) to perform the time shift function, and records the program of the channel previous to the channel change if the user chooses to record the program. In this state, if the channel is changed again to the channel being recorded, the recording of the program of the selected channel is terminated.
Accordingly, the user selects whether to record the program of the channel previous to the channel change whenever the channel is changed, and this causes inconvenience in use. Also, if the channel is changed again to the channel being recorded, the recording of the corresponding channel program is terminated, and this causes the image being received in real time not to be recorded in the case of viewing the program recorded in a time shift mode.
Further, since the user directly selects and deletes the program recorded for the time shift, this causes an inconvenience to the user, and the use efficiency of the storage space deteriorates.